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w tw v W W V V
v v v " V V V V V V V NT" ' V W -r r W W V V V V - - '
ROCK
y-u
VOL'. LIV. NO. 178.
SATURDAY. MAY 13, 1905.
PAGES 9 TO 12.
TIE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES,
By A. Corvarv Doyle v Illustrated by F. D. Steele
IBJL
AR
The Adventure of
the Empty House
No. 1 of th Series
fCttrrtik,, JtfJ, J, A CtKsm Dfl, ami CtllUri
Cttritht. 190S. i, MtClmr. rhUltf tT CtJ
T was in the spring of the
year 1S94 that all London
was interested and the
fashionable world dis
mayed by the murder of
the Hon. Ronald Adair
under most unusual and
inexplicable circumstance. The public
has already learned those particulars of
the crime which came out in the police
investigation, but a good deal was sui
pressed upou that occasion, since the
case for the proKecution was so over
wheliniugly strong that it was not nee
essary to bring forwanl all the fact
Only now, at the end of nearly ten years,
am I allowed to supply those missing
links which make up the whole of that
remarkable chain. The crime was of in
terest in itself, but that interest was
as nothing to me compared to the in
conceivable sequel, which afforded me
the greatest shock aud surprise of any
event in niy adventurous life. Even
now. after this long interval. I find my
self thrilling as I think of it and feel
ing once more that sudden flood of Joy,
amaxement aud incredulity which ut
terly submerged my mind. Let me
ay to that public, which has shown
souie interest in those glimpses which
I have occasionally given them of the
thoughts and actions of a very remark
able man. that they are not to blame
me If I have not ".bared my knowledge
with them, for I should have consider
ed it my first duty to have done so bad
not been barred by a positive prohi
bition from his own Hps, which was
only withdrawn ujon the Sd of last
month.
It can be Imagined that tny close In
timacy with Sherlock Holmes had in
terested me deeply in crime and that
after his disappearance I never failed
to read with care the various problems
which came ttefore the public. And I
even attempted more than ouce for my
own private satisfaction to employ his
method In their solution, though with
indifferent success. There was none,
however, which appealed to me like
this tragedy of Itonald Adair. As I
read the evidence at the Inquest, which
led up to a verdict of willful murder
agaliiMt some person or persons un
known, 1 realized more clearly than I
had ever done the loss which the com
munity hud sustained by the death of
Sherlock Holmes.
There were points about this strange
business which would. I was sure, have
specially apealed to him. and the ef
forts of the police would have been
supplemented or more probably antici
pated by the trained observation and
the ulert mind of the first criminal
agent in Europe. All day as I drove
upon my round I turned over the case
in my mind and found no explanation
which appeared to me to le adequate.
At the risk of telling a twice told tale
I will recapitulate the facts as they
were known to the public nt the con
clusion of the Inquest.
The Hon. Ronald Adair was the sec
ond son of the Earl of Maynooth. at
thut time governor of one of the Aus
tralian colonies. Adair's mother had
returned from Australia to undergo the
ojverailon for cataract, and she. her son
Ronald and her daughter Hilda were
living together at 427 Park lane. The
youth moved in the lx'st society had.
ku far as was known, no enemies and
no particular vl-es. He had been en
gaged to Miss Edith Woodley of Car
stairs, bul the engagement had teen
broken off by mutual consent some
mouths lefore. and there was no sign
that it had left any very profound feel
ing behind it. For the rest the man's
life uioved In a narrow and convention
al circle, for his habits were quiet and
bis nature unemotional. Yet It was up
oiethls ensy going young aristocrat that
death came in most strange and uuex
jiectcd form tetwcen the hours of Id
nd 10:J on the night of March 30.
Ronald Adair was fond of ranis, play
ing continually, but never for such
stakes as would hurt him. He was a
inemlter of the Baldwin, the Cavendish
und the Bagatelle card clubs." It was
shown that after dinner on the day of
his death he had pla.wd a rubler of
whist at the latter club. He had also
played there In the afternoon. The
evidence of those who had played with
him Mr. Murray. Sir John Hardy and
Colonel Moran showed that the game
was whist and that there was a fairly
equal fall of the canls. Adair might
have lost .". but not more. His for
tune was a considerable one. and such
a loss could not in any way affect him.
ne had played nearly every day at one
club or other, but he was a cautious
player and usually rose a winner. It
came out in evidence that la partner
ship with Colonel Meran he had actu
ally won as much as 420 in a sitting
some weeks before from Godfrey Mll
ner and I-ord Balmoral. So much for
his recent history as It came out at the
Inquest.
On the evening of the crime he re
turned from the club exactly at 10.
His mother and sister were out spend
ing the evening with a relative. The
servant deposed that she heard him en-'
ter the f rout room on the second floor, '
he had ut a fire. a&Ojm It coukid
had oiened ttie window. Xo sound was
heard from the room until 11:20, the
hour of the return of Lady Maynooth
and her daughter. Desiring to say
good night, she attempted to enter her
son's room. The door was locked on
the inside, and no answer could be got
to their cries jmd knocking. Help was
obtained and the door forced. The un
fortunate young man was found lying
near the table. His head had been hor
ribly mutilated by an expanding re
volver bullet, but no weapon of any
sort was to le found in the room. On
the table lay two bank notes for 10
each and 17 10. in silver and gold, the
money arranged in little piles of vary
ing amount. There were some figures
also ujtou a sheet of paper, with the
names of some club friends opKsite to
them, from which it was conjectured
that before his death he was endeavor
ing to make out his losses or winuings
at cards.
A minute examination of the circum
stances served only to make the rase
more complex. In the first place, no
reason could le given why the youug
man should have fastened the door
upon the inside. There was the possi
bility that the murderer had done this
and hail afterward escape! by the win
dow. The drop was at least twenty
feet, however, and a bed of crocuses In
full bloom lay beneath. Neither the
flowers nor the earth showed any sign
of having been disturled, nor were
there any marks uioii the narrow strip
of grass which separated the house
from the road.
Apparently therefore it was the
young man himself who had fastened
the door. Hut how did he come by his
death? No one could have climbed
up to the window without leaving
traces. Jupjose a man had fired
through the window, he would indeed
be a remarkable shot who could with
a revolver Inflict so dendlv a wound.
Again. Park lane is u frequented thor
oughfare. There is a cab staud within
a hundred yards of the house. No one
had heard n shot. And yet there was
the dead man and there the revolver
bullet, which had mushroomed out,
as soft nosed bullets will, and so in
flicted a wound which must have caus
ed Instantaneous death. Such Mere
the circumstances of the Park lane
mystery, which were further compli
cated by entire absence of motive,
since, as I have said, young Adair was
not known to have any enemy, und no
attempt had Iwen made to remove the
money or valuables in the room.
All day I turned these facts over in
my mind, endeavoring to hit upon
Borne theory which could reconcile
them all and to find that line of least
resistance which my poor friend had
declared to be the starting point of
every investigation. I confess that 1
made little progress. In the evening
I strolled across the park ami found
myself alsjut o'clock at the Oxford
street end of I'ark laue. A group of j
loafers upon the pavements, all staring
up at a particular window, directed me
m
wm
Copyright ly OVIlirr't
( ttruck vie thut the fellow mutt be tome
poor bililiniihlU.
to the house which I -had come to see.
A tall, thin man with colored glasses,
whom I strongly suspected of In-lng a
plain clothes detective, was pointing
out some theory of bis own. while the
others crowded around to listen to
what he said. I got as near him as I
could, but his observations seemed to
me to le absurd, so I withdrew again
in some disgust. As I did so I struck
against an elderly, deformed man who
had been behind me. and I knocked
down several looks which he was car
rying. I remember that as I picked
them up I observed the title of one of
them. "The Origin of Tree Worship."
and it struck me that the fellow must
te somp poor bibliophile who either as
a trade or as a hobby was a collector
of olscure volumes. I endeavored to
apologize for the accident, but it was
evident that these books which I had
so unfortunately maltreated wore very
precious objects in the eyes of their
owner. With a snarl of contempt he
turned uon his heel, and I saw his
curved tack aud white side whiskers
disappear among the throng.
My observations of 427 Park lane did
little to clear up the problem in which
I was interested. The bouse was sep
arated from the street by a low wall
and railing, the whole not more than
Ave feet high. It was perfectly eay.
therefore, for anj one to get into the
7L '
garden, but the window was entirely
inaccessible since there was no water
pipe or anything which could help the
most active man to climb it. More puz
zled than ever. I retraced my steps to
Kensington. I had not been in my
study five minutes when the maid en
tered to say that a person desired to
see me. To my astonishment it was
none other than my strange old book
collector, his sharp, wizened face peer
ing out from a frame of white hair, and
his precious volumes, a dozen of them
at least, wedged under his right arm.
"You're surprised to see me. sir,"
said he In a strange, croaking voice.
I acknowledged that I was.
"Well, I've a conscience, sir. and
when I chanced to see you go into this
house as I came hobbling after you. I
thought to myself I'll Just step in and
see that kind gentleman and tell him
that if I was n bit gruff in my manner
there wns not any harm meant and that
I am much obliged to him for picking
up my books."
"You make too much of a trifle." said
I. "May I ask how you knew who I
was?"
"Yes, sir. If it isn't too great a liber
ty I am a neighbor of yours, for you'll
find my little bookshop at the corner of
Church street, and very happy to see j
you. I am sure. Maybe you collect
yourself, sir. Here's 'British Birds'
and 'Catullus' and 'The Holy War' a
bargain, every oue of them. With five
volumes you could Just fill that gap on
that second shelf. It looks untidy,
does it not, sir?"
I moved my head to look at the cabi
net behind me. When I turned again
Sherlock Holmes was standing smiling
at me across my study table. I rose to
my feet, stared at birn for some sec
onds in utter amazement, and then it
appears that I must have fainted for
the first and the last time in my life.
Certainly a gray mist swirled before
my eyes, and when it cleared I found
my collar ends undone and the tingling
after-taste of brandy upon my lips.
Holmes was bending over my chair.
his flask in his hand.
"My dear Watson." said the well re
membered voice, "I owe you a thou
sand apologies. I had no Idea that you
would be so affected."
I gripped him by the arms.
"Holmes!". I cried. "Is it really you?
Can It Indeed be that you are alive? Is
it possible that you succeeded In climb
ing out of that awful abyss?
"Wait a moment," said he. "Are you
sure that you are really lit to discuss
things? I have given you a serious
shock by my unnecessarily dramatic
reappearance."
"I am all right, but indeed. Holmes, I
can hardly believe my eyes. Good
heavens, to think that you you of all
men should be standing lu my study!"
Again I gripped him by the sleeve and
felt the thlu, sinewy arm beneath it.
"Well, you're not a spirit anyhow,"
said 1. "My dear chap, I'm overjoyed
to see you. Sit down and tell me how
you came alive out of that dreadful
chasm."
lie sat opposite to me and lit a ciga
rette in his old nonchalant manner.
He was dressed in the seedy frock coat
of the book merchant, but the rest of
that individual lay in a pile of white
hair and old books upon the table.
Holmes looked even thinner and keener
than of old, but there was a dead white
tinge In his aquiline face which told
me that his life recently bad not been a
healthy one.
"I am glad to stretch myself, Wat
son," said he. "It is no Joke when a
tall man has to take a foot off his
stature for several hours on cud. Now,
my dear fellow, in the matter of these
explanations, we have, if I may ask
for your co-operation, a hard and dan
gerous night's work in front of us. Per
haps it would be Ivetter if I gave you nn
account of the whole situation when
that work is finished."
"I am full of curiosity. I should
much prefer to hear now."
"You'll come with me tonight?"
"When you like and where yon like."
"This is. Indeed, like the old days.
We shall have time for a mouthful of
dinner before we need go. Well. then,
about that chasm. I had no serious
difficulty In getting out of it for the
very simple reason that I never was
In It."
"You never were in it?"
"No. Watson. I never was In It. My
note to you was absolutely genuine. I
had little doubt that I had come to the
end of my career when I iferccivcd the
somewhat sinister figure of the bite
Professor Moriarty standing uion the
narrow pathway which led to safety.
I read an inexorable purpose In his
gray eyes. I exchanged some remarks
with him. therefore, and obtained his
courteous permission to write the short
note which you afterward received. I
left It with my cigarette box and my
stick, and I walked along the pathway,
Moriarty still at my heels. When I
reached the end I stood at bay. He
drew no weapon, but he rushed at me
and threw his long arms around me.
He knew that his own game was up
and was only anxious to revenge him
self upon me. We tottered together
upon the brink of the fall. I have some
knowledge, however, of barltsa, or the
Japanes" system of wrestling, which
has more than on teen very useful j
to me. I slipped through his grip, and j
lie with a horrible scream kicked mad- j
ly for a few seconds and clawed the air
with both his hands. But for all bis
efforts he could not get his balance, '
and over he went. With my face over
tho.rink I saw him fall -lor a lonxjvay.
Then he struck a rock, bounded off and
splashed into the water."
I listened with amazement to this ex
planation, which Holmes delivered be
tween the puffs of his cigarette.
"But the tracks!" I cried. T saw
with my own eyes that two went down
the path aud none returned."
"It came about iu this way. The in
stant that the professor had disap
peared it struck me what a really ex
traordinarily lucky chance fate had
placed iu my way. I knew that Mori
arty was not the only man who had
sworu my death. There were at least
three others whose desire for venge
ance upou me would only be Increased
by the death of their leader. They were
all most dangerous men. One or other
would certainly get me. On the other
hand, if all the world was convluced
that I was dead they would take liber
ties, these men; they would soon lay
themselves open, ami sootier or later I
could destroy them. Then It would be
time for me to aunouuee that I was
still in the land of the living. So rapid
ly does the brain act that I believe I
had thought this all out before Profess
or Moriarty had reached the bottom of
the Reichenbach fall.
T stood up aud examined the rocky
wall behind me. In your picturesque
account of the matter, which 1 read
With great interest some months later.
you assert that the wall was sheer
That was not literally true. A few
small footholds presented themselves,
and there was some indication' of a
ledge. The cliff is so high that to climb
it all was an obvious impossibility,
and it was equally impossible to make
my way along the wet path without
leaving some tracks. I might, it is trye,
have reversed my boots, as I have done
on similar occasions, but the sight of
three sets of tracks in one direction
would certainly have suggested a de
ception. On the whole, then, it was
best that I should risk the climb. It
was not a pleasant business, Watson.
The fall roared beneath me. I am not a
fanciful person, but I give you my
word that I seemed to hear Moriarty's
voice screaming at me out of the abyss.
A mistake would have beeii fatal.
More than once as tufts of grass came
out in my hand or my foot slipped Iu
the wet notches of the rock I thought
that I was gone. But I struggled up
ward, and at last I reached a ledge
several feet deep and covered with
soft green moss, where I couhl lie un
pecn in the most perfect comforj. There
I was stretched when you, my dear
Watson, and all your following were
investigating in the mst sympathetic
and inefficient manner the circum
stances of my death.
"At last, when you had all formed
j'our inevitable aud totally erroneous
conclusions, you departed for the hotel,
and I was left alone. I had Imagined
that I had reached the end of my ad
ventures, but a very unexpected occur
rence showed me that there were sur
prises still In store for me. A huge
rock, falling from above, boomed past
me, struck the path and bounded over
Into the chasm. For an instant I
thought thut it was an accident, but a
moment later, looking up, I saw a
man's head against the darkening sky,
and another stone struck the very
ledge upon which I was stretched
within a foot of my head. Of course
the moaning of this was obvious. Mo
riarty had not been alone. A confeder
ate and even that one glance had told
me how dangerous a man that confed
erate was had kept guard while the
professor had attacked me. From a
distance, unseen by me, he had been a
witness of his friend's death and of
my escape. He had waited, and then,
making his way around to thf top of
the cliff, he had endeavored totsucceed
where his comrade had failed.!
"I did not take long to think ibout It.
Watson. Again I saw thatgrlm face
look over the cliff, and I knew that it
was the precursor of another stone.
I scrambled down on to the path. I
don't think I could have done it in cold
blood. It was a hundred times more
difficult than getting up. Hut I had no
time to think of the danger, (for an
other stone sang past me as I hung by
my bands from the edge of the ledge.
Halfway down I slipped; but, by the
blessing of God, I landed, torn and
bleeding, upon the path. I took to my
heels, did ten miles over the moun
tains in the darkness, and a week later
I found myself iu Florence, ith the
certainty that no on iu the world
knew what had become of me.
"I had only one confidant my broth
er Myct oft. I owe you many apologies,
my dear Watsou, but it was all impor
tant that It should be thought I was
dead, and it is quite certain that you
would not have written so convincing
an account of my unhappy end had you
not yourself thought that It was true.
Several times during the last three
years I have taken up my pen to write
to you. but always I feared lest your
affectionate regard for me should tempt
you to some indiscretion which would
betray my secret. For that reason I
turned away from you this evening
when you upset ray books, for I was in
danger at the time, and any show of
surprise and emotion upon your part
might have drawn attention to my
Identity and led to the most deplorable
and irreparable results. As to Mycroft.
I had to confide in him in order to ob
tain the money which I needed. The
course of events in London did not run
so well as I had hoped, for the trial of
the Moriarty gang left two of Its most
dangerous members, my own most vln-
for two years ia Tibet, therefore, and
amused myself by visiting Las.su and
spending some days with the head
lama. You may have read of the re
markable explorations of a Norwegian
named Sigersou, but I am sure that it
never occurred to you that you were
receiving news of your friend. I then
passed through Persia, looked in at
Mecea and paid a short but interesting
visit to the khalifa at Khartum, tbe re
sults of which I have communicated
to the foreign office. Returning to
France, I sjent some months iu a re
search into the coal tar derivatives,
which I conducted in a laboratory at
Montpellicr. In the south of France.
Having concluded this to my satisfac
tion and learning that only one of my
enemies was now left In Loudon. I was
about to return when my movements
were hastened by the news of this very
remarkable Park lane mystery, which
not only appealed to me by its own
merits, but which seemed to offer some
most peculiar personal opjortunities.
I came over at once to London, called
in my own person at Baker street,
threw Mrs. Hudson into violent hys-i
terics and found that Mycroft had pre
served my rooms aud my papers exact
ly as they had always been. So it was.
my dear Watson, that at - o'clock to
day I found myself In my old arm
chair In my own old room and only
wishing that I could have seen my old
friend Watson in the other chair which
he has so often adorned."
Such was the remarkable narrative
to which I listened on that April even
ing, a narrative which would have
been utterly Incredible to me bad It not
been confirmed by the actual sight of
the tall, spare figure and the keen, ea
ger face, which I had never thought to
see again. In some manner be had
;. v v.v t:
Copyright by Collirr's Weekly.
SHERLOCK HOLMES WAS
learned of my own sad" bereavement,
and his sympathy was shown in his
manner rather than In his words.
"Work is the best antidote to sorrow,
my dear Watson," said he, "and I have
a piece of work for us both tonight
which If we can bring it to a success
ful conclusion will iu Itself justify a
man's life on this planet." In vain I
Itegged him to tell me more. "You will
hear and sec enough before morning."
be answered. "We have three years of
the past to discuss. Let that suffice un
til half past f. when we start upon the
notable adventure of the empty house."
It was Indeed like old times when at
that hour I found myself seated beside
htm iu a hansom, my revolver In my
pocket and the thrill of adventure In
my heart. Holmes was cold and stern
md silent. As the geam of the street
lamps flashed upou his austere features
I saw that his brows were drawn down
in thought and his thin lips compressed.
I knew not what wild beasts we were
about to hunt down iu the dark jungle
of criminal London, but I was well as
sured from the lrt-aring of this master
huntsman that the adventure was a
most grave one, while the sardonic
smile which occasionally broke through
his ascetic gloom boded little good for
the object of our ipjest.
I had imagined that we were lvnnd
for Baker street, but Holmes stopped
the cab at the corner of Cavendish
square. I observed that as he stepped
out he gave a most searching glance to
right and left ami at every subsequent
street -orner be tKk the utmost pains
to assure that he was not followed.
Our route was certainly a singular one.
Holmes' knowledge of the byways of
Jndon was extraordinary, and on this
occasion he pnsed rapidly arid with an
assured step through a network of
mews ano sraoies the very existence
of which I bad never known. We
emerged at l:'.t into a stnJJ road lined
with old. gloomy houses which led us
Into Manchester street and sa to Bland
ford street. Here he turned swiftly
down a narrow passage, passed through
-.1 wooden gate into a deserte 1 yard and
then opened witli a key the back door
of a house. We entered together, and
he closed It N hind us.
The place was pitch dark, but it was
evident to me that it was an empty
house. Our feet creaked and crackled
over the bare plnnkintr. and my out
stretched hand touched a wall from
which the paper was bauging in rib
bons. Holmes' cold, thin fingers closed
around my wrist and 11 me forward
down a long hall until I dimly saw the
murky fan light over the door. Here
Holmes turned suddenly to the right,
and we found ourselves iu a large,
square, empty .room, heavily shadowini
in the corners, but faintly lit in the
center from the lights of the street be
yond. There was no lamp near, and
the wiudow was thick with dust, so
that we could only just discern each
Other's figures within. My companion
put his hand upon my shoulder and
his lips close to my car.
"lo you know where we are?" he
whispered.
"Surely that is Baker street." I an
swered, staring through the dim win
dow. "Exactly. We are iu Camdeu House,
which stands opposite to our own old
quarters."
"But why are we here?"
"Because it commands so excellent
0 view of that picturesque pile. Might
1 trouble you. uiy dear Watsou. to
draw a little nearer to the window,
taking every precaution not to show
yourself, and then to look up at our
old rooms the starting nolnt of .so
STANDING SMILING AT ME.
many of your little fairy tales? We
will sn if my three years of absence
have cut ircly taken away my power to
surprise you."
I crept forward and looked across
at the familiar window. As my eyes
fell upon it 1 gave a gasp and a cry
of ama.emeiit. The blind was down,
and a strong light was burning In the
room. The shadow of a man who was
seated In a chair within was thrown
in hard, black outline upon the lumi
nous screen of the window. There was
no mistaking the poise of the bead, the
squareness of the shoulders, the sharp
ness of the features. 'Hie face was
turiH-d half around, and the effect was
that of oue of those black silhouettes
which i. in- grandparents loved to
fratiu. It was a ierfect reproduction
of Holme. So amazed was I that I
throw out my band to make sure that
the n.aii himself was standing leslde
me. He was quivering with silent
laughter.
"Well?" said he.
"Good heavens:" I cried. "It is mar
velous!" "I trust that age doth not wither nor
custom stale my infinite variety," said
be. And I recognized In his voice the
joy mid pride which the artist takes in
bis own creation. "It really Is rather
like me. is it not?"
"I should be prepared to swear that
ft was you."
"The credit of the execution is due
to M. Oscar Mennler of Grenoble, who
spent some days in doing the molding,
it is a bust in wax. The rest 1 ar
ranssl myself during m'y visit to Ba
kT street this afternoon."
"But why?"
"Because, mv dear Watson. I had tbe
Mrofiiret ifosihie reason for wishing
certain ople to think that I was there
when I was really elsewhere."
"And you thought the rooms were
watched?"
I knew that they were watched."
"By whom?"
"By my old enemies, Watson. By the
charming society whose leader lies in
the Reichenbach fall. You must re
member that they knew, and only they,
knew, that I was still alive. Sooner or
later they believed that 1 should come
back to my rooms. They watched them
continuously, and this morning thsy.
saw me arrive."
"How do you know?"
"Because I recognized their sentinel
when 1 glanced out of my window. He
Is a harmless enough fellow, Parker by
name, a garroter by trade and re
markable performer upou the Jews
harp. I cared nothing for him. But
I cared a great deal for the much more
formidable person who was behind him,
the losom fr1nd of Moriarty. the man
who dropped the rocks over the cliff,
the most cunning aud dangerous crimi
nal in London. That is the man who Is
after me tonight, Watson, and that is
the man who is quite unaware that we
are after him."
My friend's plans were gradually re
vealing themselves. From this conven
ient retreat the watchers were being
watched and the trackers tracbei.
ibat angular shadow up yonder was
the bait, aud we were the hunters. Iu
sileuce we istood together in the dark
ness and watched the hurrying figures
who passed and repassed Iu front of
us. Holmes was silent aud motionless,
but 1 could tell that he was keenly
alert and that his eyes were fixed In
tently upon the stream of passersby.
It was a bleak aud boisterous night,
and the wind whistled shrilly down the
long street. Many people were moving
to aud fro. most of them muffled In their
coats and cravats. Once or twice It
seemed to me that I had seen the same
figure before, and 1 especially noticed
two men who appeared to be sheltering
themselves from the wind In the door
way of a bouse some distance up the
street. 1 tried to draw my companion's
attention to them, but he gave a little
ejaculation of impatience and contin
ued to stare Into the street. More than
once he fidgeted with his feet and
tapped rapidly with his fingers upon
the wall. It was evident to me thut ho
was becoming uneasy and that his
plans were not working out altogether
as he had hoped. At last as midnight
approached and the street gradually
cleared he paced up and down the
room in uncontrolluble agitation. I
was about to make some remark to
him when I raised my eyes to the light
ed window and again experienced al
most as great a surprise as before. I
clutched Holmes' arm and pointed up
ward. w
"The shadow has moved!" I cried.
It was Indeed no longer the profile,
but the back, which .was turned toward
US. H -Tur J-ii"
Three years had certainly not smooth
ed the asperities of his temper or his
impatience with a less active intelli
gence than his own.
"Of course It has moved." said he.
"Am 1 such n farcical bungler. Wat
son, that I should erect an obvious
dummy, mid expect that some of the
sharpest men in Europe would Ik de
ceived by It? We have been In this
room two hours, nisi Mrs. Hudson Uat
made some chuuge in that figure eight
times, or once ia every quarter of an
hour. She works it from the frout.
so that her shadow may never be seu.
Ah!" He drew Iu his breath with a
shrill, excited intake. In the dim
light I saw his head thrown forwurd,
his whole attitude rigid with attention.
Outside, the street wus absolutely de
serted. Those two men might still b
crouching in the doorway, but I could
no longer see them. All was still und
dark save only tluit brilliant yellow
screen in front of us with the black
figure outlined upon its center. Again
In the utter silence I beard thut thin,
sibilant note which spoke of intense
suppressed cxltcneht. An instant
later he pulled m back Into the black
est corner of the room, and I felt his
warning bund iimu my lips. The fin
gers which clutched me were quiver
ing. Never had I known my friend
more moved, and yet the dark street
still stretched lonely and motionless
before us.
But suddenly I
which his keener
distinguished. A
came to my ears
wus aware of that
senses had already
low, stealthy sound
not from tbe direc
tion of Baker street, but from the
back of the very bouse In which we
lay concealed. A door opened and
shut. An instant later steps crept
down the passage steps which were
meant to be silent, but which reverber
ated harshly through tbe empty house.
Holmes crouched Ixtck against the
wall, sud I did the same, my hand
closing upon the handle of my revolver.
Peering through tbe gloom. I saw the
vague outline of a man, a ahade black
er tbau the blackness of the ojen
door. He stood for an instant, and
then he crept forward, crouching, men
acing, into the room. He was within
three yards of us, this sinister figure,
and I had braced myself to meet hi
spring before I reallied that he had
no idea of our presence. He passed
close beside us, stole over to the win
dow and very softly and noiselessly
raised it for half a foot. As he sank
to tbe level of this opening the light of
the street, no longer dimmed by the
dusty glaas, fell full upon bis face.
The roan seemed to be beside himself
with excitement. His two eyes shone
like stars, and bis features were work
lOM convulsively. H was an elderly
(Continued on Page Twelve.)